Skulduggery Pleasant fan-fic: The Cradle of Magic (UNDER EDIT)

Awkward conversations...

-Tanith
It was very cold. This was Dublin however so being surprised wasn't an option. I rang the door bell several times before someone answered. It was eight o'clock at night but my motorbike had broken down and I needed help. Preferably before I caught frostbite. It was Ghastly, thankfully, it was his house after all. "Hiya you..." He said rather surprised.
"Hey! Erm sorry but could you help me out, my bike's gone dead and..."
His eyes lit up which I thought was rather cute "Yeah sure, I'm not brilliant at mechanics but I'll try..."
He slipped his shoes on and we headed down the path towards the bike.
I got on the bike and tried to kick-start it, but instead it made a putting noise and went silent..
"See?" I said.
"Right..." He said puzzled, several seconds passed "Yep sorry I've absolutely no idea what's up with it..."
I sighed "Okay then, thanks anyway Ghastly..." I made an attempt to get out my phone but he stopped me...
"It's ok.." He said looking at me "You can stay here, I'll sleep on the sofa if you want..."
"Seriously Ghast..."
"No..." He said and took my cold hand " I insist..."
I smiled up at him and we headed inside.
I took my coat off and hung it up on the nearby rack.
I followed him into the main room, where he had been sewing a... Was that a leather jacket?
"One mo..." He said and turned off the machine, tidying up the excess cloth and material from the table. He picked up the jacket and laid it on a shelf next to a roll of pink fabric.
"Thanks for this Ghast." I said as he busied himself
"Seriously don't mention it..." He yelled from the back room.
I eyed the sewing patterns on the walls and the unfinished dresses in the many shelves all around, God they were gorgeous... I'd never really appreciated how good he was until now...
He came back brushing the dust from his hands "Tea?" He said
I smiled "Please, I'll help though..."

"It's absolutely freezing out there..." I said pouring the milk.
"Ummhmm" he sighed and sat down at the table. I sat opposite to him.
Several minutes of tea drinking passed.
"Are you ok?" I asked looking into his eyes.
He looked up "Er yeah, yeah I'm fine...why'd you ask?"
"I was just worried..." I looked back down at the swirling, hot tea.
"Tanith..." I perked up
"Yeah!?"
"Tanith, do you um.. Do you like me?"
I gawped "Of course I do! Ghastly..." I sighed and we looked at each other.
He coughed and went red "Do you want to go on a date... With me.. sometime?"
I smiled, also going red "I'd love to..." Bubbling with countless emotions.
And to his surprise I leaned over and kissed him, and he kissed me back.

-China
I remember the last meeting I had attended at the Sanctuary.
I didn't often do meetings but this I found was too important to skip. I decided not to wear anything special that day as it was only Guild afterall, but still managed a few head turns as I walked into the Sanctuary. The meeting room was darker than usual, still the same room but felt as if the life he been drained from it. It probably had.
Guild sat at the end of the oak table, he smiled a horribly weird, toothy smile...
"Miss Sorrows..."
I sat down and half expected him to bring out a fluffy cat and end the sentence with 'I've been expecting you...' To my dismay he didn't...
"Grand Mage..." I looked solemnly into his eyes.
"I wanted to talk to you about an event that will happen over the next two weeks which I thought you might want to be aware of... For the Sanctuary's... Safety.."
He got out a cigarette and lit it, sending puffs of smoke my way... "Proceed... " he said
I ignored the smoke, which was obviously his move of authority over me.
"In a matter of days the portal to the world of the Faceless Ones will reopen an.." I was rudely cut off,
"Don't waste my time China, the portal is sealed off, nobody can get in or out of it, end of meeting..." He got up.
I gawped at the pure rudeness at what he had just said to me, and If he wasn't Grand Mage I would have sent a wave of energy towards him. I then came to the conclusion that he wanted me to think this and so approached differently causing him to frown.
I got up from the table "Very well Grand Mage..." And just to make him even more annoyed stooped low and left closing the door behind me.
I could hear him yelling behind the door, and winked at a passing mage, to whom smirked.

This conversation I knew however would be different...
The first thing I noticed was the golden throne at the end of the table in the stead of a regular chair; typical Erskine...
I smiled "Grand Mage..."
He winked at me and smiled "Miss Sorrows, what may I owe the pleasure?"
"I'll make this brief as we don't have much time..." I glanced up at the security camera in the left hand corner... "As you... Know.. The portal to the world of the faceless will open in eight days..."
He whitened "Ummhmm..."
"And If we let that happen all of time, space and humanity will perish like the last world the Faceless Ones entered..."
Erskine coughed "er...yeah?" And sipped his gin-tainted coffee...
"Well I'm afraid to say we have to let that happen..."
His eyes widened and he spat coffee all over his paperwork "You what!?"
I held up a hand "It's ok though... Because I have a plan..."
He made a noise of disbelief.
"You are aware of Miss Nighshade, and the training I have been recently doing with her?"
"Yes..." He said slowly "Is is relev..."
"Well, the other day I was reading an old manuscript..."
"As you do..." I glared at him and proceeded
"And I came across a passage mentioning another God-killer weapon left in the alternate universe after the Faceless Ones destroyed it." "I believe if we can retrieve this weapon, we have a chance of defeating them once more..."
Ravel massaged his temples "And we retrieve this.. How?"
"I also read in this passage that someone of the right power and blood must regain the weapon otherwise it will turn to dust. I believe that Valiance Nightshade is that someone."
"Okay..." He managed
"You're not really taking this seriously are you Erskine?" I demanded
"I don't really get this job.. It's all paperwork and bossing people around... I rather be in the thick of it really..." He faded.
"Oh well at least I warned you..." And I got up and left...

No nothing had changed...

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Yes I know I'm sorry that was a very long chapter I just wanted to fit everything in...
I going try and squeeze a chapter in every two or three days so watch out for more in a shorter space of time! Don't forget to vote and comment!
Thnx guys! ❤️